Nail-plate feeder



' (No Model.)

J. PIELDING.-

NAIL PLATE FEEDER.

,307. Patented Nov. 1 1887.

I No. 372

N PEYERS. mn-Liihogrlphur, Wahhqmn. 0.0.

. STATES PATENT rrrcno JAMES FIELDING, OF STEUBENVILLE, OHIO.

NAI L-PLATE FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 372,307, dated November 1, 1887.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES FIELDING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Steubenville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Machine for Gripping the Feed-Rod of an Automatic Nail-Plate-Feeding Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic nail -plate -fceding machines, and particularly to that part which grips-and holds the feed-rod while it is being carried forward to the nail-machine, and releasing it again atthe proper time to permit the turning of the nail-plate for the feeding of the next nail, and so onad injinitam. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe machine. Fig. 2 is a detached view of the feedrod S as it lies when at work in the checkplate Fig. 3 is a detached view of the checkplate i. Fig. 4 isa detached view ofthe checkrod J and its floor-bracket, showing theindiarubber spring-washer K and the manner of attaching the bracket to the floor.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The arm A, to which my machine is attached at its outer end, is'secured to a fecdenhe'ad of the type shown in the patent to J. G. Gould, No. 292,299, by means of a bolt which passes through the feeder-head and through the arm, as shown at a. I

The arm A has lugs I) I), through which center bolts; 0 0, pass, the points of which enter countersinks in the ends of the bolt 0, as shown at f. The bolt 6 is a pivot-bolt upon which the jaws B and Carehnng, fitting tightly in the jaw 0, but loosely in the jaw B, and rocking to and fro upon the center bolts as the jaws vibrate toward and from the nailmachine whileperformingithe operation of feeding. The nuts g'g are jam-nuts to prevent these bolts working out.

The rod D, passing through the feederhead and through the slot in the stationary guide Ii, rests upon the pointed bolt a, said rod being provided with a countersink, o, in the end to fit the point of the bolt, and is held in place by the constant pressure of the spiral spring h, attached to the rod and to the lower ends of the jaws B and O, performing the double service of holding the rod D in place and drawing the jaws back after a nail has been fed.

The bracket m is permanently attached to the arm A and extends across back of both jaws B and O, and in conjunction with the cross E of the T-hcad bolt, which is attached thereto, as shown, acts as a gage for regulating the thickness of nail to be cut, the-bolt being regulated as to its length by the nut Z. The bracket m stops the forward movement of thejaws, and the cross of the T-head bolt the backward movement, so that when at work the jaws are continually vibrating to and fro between them.

The check-plated, Figs. 2 and 3, when in position, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1, performs triple service-i. 0., in conjunction with the bracket t it acts as a rest for the'feed-rod S; it also acts as a stay to the jaws, holding them square as to each other, so that they simultaneously and in perfect concert perform the forward and backward movements lengthwise of the feed-rod, and, last-1y, as a check to the farther forward movement of the feed-rod after the plate is fed up by the shoulder or stop r coming in contact therewith, as shown in Fig. 2.

The bolt a, passing through the jaws B and O, fitting tight in the jaw C, but loosely in the jaw B, is a center upon which the jaw B works in gripping and releasing the feed-rod S. The lever H is hung upon the pointed bolt a, which is made to serve the double purpose of receiving the stroke which drives the feed-rod toward the nailmachine and a hinge for the lever H. I

The bracket X, Fig. 4, is made fast to the floorjwith screws, and the, check-rod J, passing through it, is held in place by the nut q above is permanently attached thereto, imparts to it the said motion. The nail-plate to be cut into nails is placed in the nippers upon the for ward end of the feed-rod S. The plate is placed in the barrel of the feeder-head, which is in continual motion, and the rod is placed between the jaws B and C, which seize hold of it at the proper time and hold it until the nail is out, releasing it again when the feedrod is drawn back. The jaws receive their gripping motion by the heel of the lever H pressing upon the lower end of the jaw B, which, swinging upon bolt 0, the head of which acts as a fulcrum to the jaw B, causes a corresponding inward movement of the upper end toward the jaw 0, thus gripping the rod. The lever H receives its motion thus: As the arm A oscillates toward and from the nail-maehine the outer end, to which my invention is attached, is slightly elevated and lowered by this swinging motion, so that as the nail-plate is carried forward toward the nail-machine the outer end is elevated, causing the hooks of the check-rod Jand the lever H to come into contact, thus restraining the upward movement of the end of the lever, causing a pressure of the heel upon the lower end of the jaw B, causing it to grip the feed-rod, as explained above. As the feed-rod S is carried forward by the arm A as it oscillates toward and from the nail-machine, the rod D, passing through the slot of the stationary guide L and through the feederliead, strikes with every forward movement of the said feeder-head the station ary block of the nail'machine, causing a backward movement of the lower ends of the jaws B and O and a corresponding forward movement of the upper ends until they come in contact with the bracket 12:, and as the grip upon the feed-rod S is released the spiral spring draws the lower ends of the jaws forward, causing a corresponding backward movement of the upper ends until they come in contact with the cross E of the T'head bolt, the play of the jaws between the bracket in and the cross of the T-head bolt being the thickness of the nail to be out, which is regulated by shortening or lengthening the T-head bolt with the nut Z.

I am aware that prior to my invention grips for automatic nailfeeding machines have been made with jaws swinging toward and from the nail machine and closing and opening in gripping and releasing the feedrod. I therefore do not claim the devices for making these motions, broadly; but

\Vhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the rod 1), of the jaws B and C, the lever H, and the pointed pivot-bolt a, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the check-plate i, the jaws B and O, and fecd-rod having stop 1, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a supporting-arm adapted to be secured to a vibratory feederhead, of the gripping jaws, the lever H, cheekrod J, floor bracket X, and intermediate spring-washer, K, as and for the purpose set forth.

JA MES FIELDING.

Attcst:

Ross Wnrrn, A LEXANDER HARVEY. 

